Disney granted a terminally ill Star Wars fan their dying wish: being able to watch the “Rise of Skywalker” with their young son.
The studio responded to a plea made from Rowans Hospice in Hampshire, England, who tweeted on Tuesday that they have a patient who doesn’t have “time on his side” when it came to the film’s late December release date.
After receiving much attention on social media, the tweet even received a response from Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill, who suggested Rowans contact Disney and also wished them good luck with their appeal.
A few days later, Disney’s chairman and CEO, Bob Iger, announced they would be screening the film for the dying fan. “On this Thanksgiving, we at @Disney are grateful to be able to share #TheRiseOfSkywalker with a patient and his family @RowansHospice,” Iger tweeted Thursday. “May the force be with you and with us all!”
After viewing the film with his son, the patient, who has remained anonymous, thanked Mickey Mouse & Co. for allowing him to see the end of the Skywalker saga, which the fan said he’s been “waiting to see since 1977.”
“During what is just a horrible situation to be in, you have helped to make some wonderful memories and bring some joy to my family,” the patient said in a statement to ABC News. “The only way to describe this to you is to say that this must be what it feels like to be told you have won a million pounds!”
Hamill also thanked Iger and Disney for making the dying fan’s wish come true. He also added, “Hope the Rowan Hospice patient not only enjoyed the film, but gets an extra-special satisfaction in knowing he saw it before I did.”
Never doubt the power of the Force.
See how it all went down in the tweets below!
Can you help? We have a patient who’s a HUGE #StarWars fan. Sadly, time is not on his side for the 20th Dec. His wish is to see the final Star Wars film #RiseOfSkywalker with his young son. If you know ANYBODY who might be able to make it happen, please share with them. Thank you
— Rowans Hospice (@RowansHospice) November 26, 2019
Contact @Disney. They are the only ones who can make this happen. Good luck!
— Mark HoHoHoHamill (@HamillHimself) November 26, 2019
On this Thanksgiving, we at @Disney are grateful to be able to share #TheRiseOfSkywalker with a patient and his family @RowansHospice. May the force be with you and with us all!
— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) November 28, 2019
Many thanks to @RobertIger & everyone at @Disney for making this happen! Hope the Rowan Hospice patient not only enjoyed the film, but gets an extra-special satisfaction in knowing he saw it before I did. https://t.co/qpECeomcCX
— Mark HoHoHoHamill (@HamillHimself) November 29, 2019
A dying Star Wars fan in England got to see #TheRiseOfSkywalker today at @RowansHospice with his family, thanks to @Disney and @RobertIger. Here’s a photo of the patient and his son, who wanted to remain safely anonymous. @ABC pic.twitter.com/gLOnANqYrT
— Clayton Sandell (@Clayton_Sandell) November 29, 2019
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” hits theaters December 20th.
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